Our 'Diary of a Business Associate Intern' series is designed to give you an inside look into the life of Google interns based all over Europe. Today, the spotlight is on Malin Sundin from Sweden, who is a Business Associate Intern with Nordic SMB Services in our Google Dublin office.

“Do you want to write a blog post about your time at Google?” Of course! But what to write..?

My time at Google... I mean, it feels like I started yesterday but my internship is soon coming to an end. So I can write that time sure flies by at the Dublin office! Starting with a big bang of impressions in a Noogler group (Google-speak for “a new Googler”) full of people from all over the world (and I literally mean from all over - from Brazil, to Germany right through to China). I, as a Swedish business student wondered a bit about how I would find my place in this bubbly organization containing search tools, advertising services, mobile applications, hardware and what not.

But, after getting to know my fellow Nooglers, meeting my team and settling in with my roomies, (every building occupied by Googlers located less than ten minutes from the Dublin office) I felt that this was going to be ten incredible weeks. I have to admit that the first days were intense, but my Noogler friends functioned as my constant in the myriad of introductions and trainings. Funny enough, this actually made me feel like a true Googler - not only do people at Google tend to hang out with other Googlers in general, but all of them seem to hang out with people from their Noogler group. So, equipped with 30 new best friends I headed off to start my job for the summer.

Did I find my place? I sure did! Google isn’t all about engineering. There is a big sales and account management side to the business as well - this was perfect for me as I come from a business background and I wanted to work in online marketing. I’ve been working as a Business Associate Intern in the Nordic SMB Services team which helps small and medium sized businesses with their online advertising through Google Adwords. In essence, the SMB Services team assists clients on matters ranging from setting up online advertising campaigns to optimizing and troubleshooting their accounts.

And speaking about daily life, coming to Google as an intern does not mean fetching coffee for full-time employees. Rather, being an intern allows you to try the core job of your team, as well as leveraging your interests, skills and what you already know through side projects that can be of almost any nature. In my case, I created a performance evaluation tool for the team whereby each sales representative now can see how they perform compared to other sales representatives and the team as a whole. This was implemented and up and running in weekly team meetings during my internship. In other words, if you have a good idea - make it your project, execute it and it will be implemented! Through such a setup at least I felt that I wasn’t only running around asking questions, but really could add value to my team.

My time at Google... was amazing. Not only did I enjoy my work and colleagues, but also the whole atmosphere of being able to enjoy a casual Tuesday lunch at a playground patio full of swings. Don’t hesitate to apply for an internship if you’re the least bit curious about how working at Google might be for you!

Fun Google Fact: If you feel that you don’t get enough of the company logo at work, the Dublin office just opened a Google store full of everything that you could possible want to buy (ranging from laptop cases and headphones to nerf guns) with a Google, YouTube or Android twist!

Interested in becoming a Google intern? Fill out this form for further info on the 2014 Google Summer internship programme in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Please note: This is a speculative application. You will be contacted once the application process for next year’s programme goes live.

EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

For resume and interview tips before you apply, check out this Hangout on Air. Additionally, please find up to date information on all job and internship postings in EMEA on our job site, and learn more about how the hiring process works.

During the third week of June 2013, we introduced a new class of Google Student Ambassadors (GSAs) in Southeast Asia at our annual Ambassador Summit. This class of 136 outstanding students represents a diverse mix of concentrations and fields of study, representing 74 universities from the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Singapore and Pakistan -- all of whom are passionate about technology, Google, and educating their peers. Google Student Ambassadors are given the unique opportunity to serve as liaisons between Google and university for the duration of one academic year, holding workshops, trainings and events with their campus community around Google’s core products, programs and initiatives.

This year, we hosted the Ambassador Summit in Yogyakarta, a center for Javanese fine art and culture in Indonesia. The GSA Southeast Asia Summit was combined with 2 other community summits - the Google Business Groups and the Google Developer Groups. This gave the students the chance to interact with the other communities in the region, which will pave the way for more amazing events and collaboration in the coming months.

The students had three full days of trainings on Google products and tools for education, including hands-on game-show style sessions on Google Apps for Education, Google+ and YouTube, and trainings on how to host events and present with confidence -- two important responsibilities of GSAs on campus.

But the summit wasn’t all instruction! Students got to flex their creative muscle by making videos about their favorite Google Apps feature and sharing their local culture during the cultural night. Students took to the stage to perform traditional and modern dances and songs from their cultures. Notable performances included heartwarming songs by students from Vietnam and Pakistan, as well as when the audience found themselves joining the students for dancing on stage. Students even went so far as to teach the audience local languages and phrases - teaching the teachers!

Students dancing on stage during cultural night

The students shared that the summit was a tremendously valuable learning and networking experience, and the students were eager to find ways to stay in touch when it was all over. Aside from the learning experience, they were able to bond and start new friendships across the region. We look forward to the awesome and excellent initiatives our 2013 Google Students Ambassadors in Southeast Asia will bring in the coming academic year!

Google recently hosted the annual Scholarships Retreat for over 75 scholars and finalists from the Anita Borg, Students with Disabilities and Zawadi Scholarships. The retreat, which was held in the Google Zurich office, saw Computer Science students from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa come together to learn from some of the best minds in the industry and each other.

We asked 3 students to tell us about their recent experience at the retreat:

What was the highlight of the retreat for you?

Penlope: The office tour. It gave me an insight into what a typical Google work area looks like. Every corner, corridor and workspace was unique, different and exciting. I would certainly like to work there!

Toby: Unquestionably the chance to meet so many amazing people from all over the EMEA region. It was refreshing to see such a large and diverse group who all had one thing in common - passion for computers and technology.

Adriana: Definitely the panel session about Women in Computing, where the panelists addressed a variety of concerns regarding career challenges and balancing work and life (especially with children). The socials weren't bad either, we definitely had fun!

The theme this year was “Going Beyond Your Limits”. What tools did you gain from the retreat that will help you to go beyond your limits in the future?

Penlope: I learned a lot from the female engineers in the ‘Women in computing’ session about how to make it in a male-dominated industry. I also received invaluable advice and tips from experienced recruiters and interviewers at Google about the hiring process, which will help me to better prepare for an interview in the future.

Toby: A key insight I learned was that there are no such thing as limits - until you try something, you can't possibly know if you will succeed. One of the most positive aspects of receiving the scholarship and attending the retreat has been my realization that having a disability is not a barrier to being successful in computer science.

Adriana: I had the opportunity to practice a range of skills in a very short time such as poster presentation, Android programming, product management and communication/leadership skills. I’ve also gained a lot more confidence.

What impact has the scholarship had on you and your academic career?

Penlope: This scholarship has boosted my confidence tenfold! I suddenly feel capable of taking on new challenges both academically and socially. The scholarship also opened my eyes to the number of possibilities available to computer scientists.

Toby: It allows me to devote more time to my research and to spend less time worrying about money. It also gave me a renewed confidence in my own academic abilities, even if I did feel somewhat humbled by the achievements of many of my fellow scholars.

Adriana: Even as a finalist, it was a great encouragement to be selected from over 1100 applicants. I have been inspired by fellow finalists and scholars as well as Googlers.

What advice would you give to someone considering applying for the scholarship next year?

Penlope: Absolutely go ahead and apply! You do NOT want to miss this experience.

Toby: Go for it, after all, what can you lose? Too many people assume that they simply aren't good enough to apply for things like this and consequently put off doing it for fear of rejection.

Adriana: Everything counts. It’s not only your academic merits (which are still very important!) but also your community involvement and leadership potential. If your application can showcase concrete examples of these three areas, you stand a great chance of being selected.

Applications for EMEA 2014 scholarships will reopen in the fall. For more updates please follow us on the Google Students Blog.

Have you ever thought about creating an app to improve the way your community lives or accesses information?

This year, students in South America and Mexico have a chance to think of their city as an interface, and help shape their city’s infrastructure by joining the Torneo Universitario de Apps, or the TuApp tournament, run by Cursor Lab. At Google, we’re big on iterating and innovating, so that’s why we’re corporate sponsors of this year’s TuApp tournament. We want to encourage students to think about how they can reshape and impact their communities by developing a mobile application that will improve the lives of their citizens.

The TuApp tournament has been continuously scaling over the last three years within Chile and due to its ongoing success, it is open to students from across South America and Mexico for the first time this year. The tournament is an exciting opportunity for students to meet other student developers in the region, while gaining hands-on programming skills in an environment that encourages teamwork and creative thinking. The tournament will feature teams of two to four, where each team builds smart applications for the benefit of their cities. Participation in such competitions is a great resume booster too!

Teams will be judged on criteria such as originality, design, and functionality, and the twelve teams of finalists will be flown to Santiago, Chile to present their work to a panel of judges and peers! There is no cost to participate, and copyrights belong exclusively to the students as developers. The three teams who create the most impactful app will win bragging rights, and cool devices on which they can continue to build and improve their applications!

Registration for teams is open now through August 15th. Things kick off with the opening ceremony on August 31st and participants will code through November. The finals and closing ceremony will take place in Chile in December. We encourage all South American and Mexican students to learn more and register now for this exciting learning opportunity!

Check out this video overview of the 2012 tournament highlights. Only more to come for the 2013 tournament, so register now!

Our 'Diary of a Business Associate Intern' series is designed to give you an inside look into the life of Google interns based all over Europe. Today, the spotlight is on Charles Biberson from France, who is a business associate intern on YouTube in our Google London office.

Two months already! Everything has gone by so fast, and I've already experienced so much.

I am french, from Paris, and joined the YouTube Next Lab EMEA team in April 2013, as part of my Media Management masters.

Why did I apply? Where else can you experience being part of something global, impacting millions of people, offering the widest range of content ever? YouTube is such a key player and I got the chance to play my part in this.

Working in NextLab is a unique opportunity. The teams, in UK, US and Japan, support and collaborate with partners, and are focused on accelerating the growth and development of channels and creators on YouTube.

As part of the EMEA team in London, I am conducting research, studying new ways for partners to grow. I highlight existing best practices and above all propose innovative ideas. Becoming an expert in a specific field offers me the opportunity to learn more from Googlers, and to provide advice to partners. And this interaction is at the core of what makes the job so rewarding.

From day one, the people I work with have been friendly and supportive. Colleagues I met in the London office (or e-met, working with Googlers from all over the world) make me feel a part of the team. I have learned that sharing what you know and asking what you don’t is at the core of being successful. Information is available, everyone is keen to share.

My typical day starts with poached eggs and bacon and a chatty breakfast with colleagues. And then, the days go by in the amazing London office: checking emails, meetings, improvised chats in micro kitchen and time to focus on my research in one of the silent booths.

Google fun fact! (among so many others). I participated in YouTube Space London summer party in June. The Space organized a music festival. Gigs, DJs, rap battles, palm reading: amazing evening to meet the best creators in town.

Interested in becoming a Google intern? Fill out this form for further info on the 2014 Google Summer internship programme in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Please note: This is a speculative application. You will be contacted once the application process for next year’s programme goes live.

EEA work authorization is required for roles supporting EEA markets.

For resume and interview tips before you apply, check out this Hangout on Air. Additionally, please find up to date information on all job and internship postings in EMEA on our job site, and learn more about how the hiring process works.

As part of our “Making an Impact” series, today we’re featuring Alec Nilson, an intern with the Corporate Operations Engineering team in Dublin. Alec is a student at Dakota State University working towards a double bachelors in Information Assurance and Network Administration.

Tell us about your internship thus far. What’s a typical day like?

As a Corporate Operations Engineer, there’s no such thing as a typical day. Each day presents new challenges as we focus on a few different areas. For example, we are the main onsite tech support for Googlers and also work on a wide variety of IT based internal projects. I’m also working on writing and reorganizing the internal troubleshooting documentation for our video conferencing system used by all our technicians, worldwide.

What’s your favorite thing about interning at Google?

Easy, it is the food! On a more serious note, I like being surrounded by such smart people. It’s a great environment to ask questions, learn and be inspired. Sometimes at dinner, we have great discussions that result in figuring out a better way to solve a certain problem.
How is Dublin?

Dublin is an awesome city and Ireland has a lot to offer if you're willing to get out of the office and explore. Traveling is also very cheap, you can get a bus from one side of the country to the other for 17 euros!

While the Google Dublin office is large, it still feels small because of how the campus is organized. All the engineers are in one building and you get a real sense of community. We participate in a lot of fun activities outside of work. Recently, my team went to the movies together at a local theater followed by a night out on the town.

It feels like a family here: your team is your immediate family, your boss is like a parent and your coworkers are your older brother and sisters. The other teams are the crazy cousins!

What skills have you gained since you started working at Google?

While being here I have learned how to program in Python and work with a lot of internal systems dealing with web apps and programming. My programming skills have improved and I have a decent enough knowledge that I was even able to help a coworker. I have also learned about dealing with processes effectively within a large company. Outside of work, I now know a thing or two about Irish culture.

Do you have any advice for someone considering applying for an internship?

Go for it! It’s one of those things that you’ll never know until you try. Welcome the application experience with a positive attitude and have fun with your interview. Make sure your resume is current. You should be able to discuss everything on your resume in great detail. During your interview, you’ll be asked questions that will require you to answer in great detail, so be prepared.

Once you are here, Googlers will teach you more than you can imagine! Really, don’t be afraid to apply. Follow your dreams and with enough passion, they will come.

What are your plans when your internship is over?

After my internship, I would like to continue working for Google in some capacity. I'm most interested in opportunities within Hardware Operations or Network Operations. There is a data center close to my home in Nebraska so we'll see....

I’ve really enjoyed my internship and want to thank Google for the incredible experience.
So far the internship has been an awesome time!

If you're interested in exploring technical internships in Europe, Middle East & Africa, keep an eye out on our Google Students job site.

For the third summer running, 29 rising sophomores and juniors were given the opportunity to attend Android Camp, a week-long summer program at Google’s Mountain View headquarters focusing on Android Development from June 9th-15th. The program includes a collaborative curriculum to provide a practical introduction to developing applications for the Android operating system. In addition, students explored the concepts behind Android, the framework for constructing an application, and the tools for developing, testing, and publishing software for the platform.
Android campers, almost all currently pursuing degrees in computer science or computer engineering, worked in groups to brainstorm and conduct market research in order to choose an idea for an application. Campers collaborated to create the application itself along with a design proposal and final presentation. Throughout the week, teams reviewed each other’s code and had the opportunity to work with Android Developer Relations at Google to get feedback and support. There were also structured lectures with demos and code labs for supplemental learning. They were each were given an inside perspective into the technical world of Google, interacting closely with full-time software engineers and eventually presenting their final works.

When the campers weren’t busy coding, they were offered career panels and tours around campus, and even had a “make your own pizza” event. They also enjoyed a trip to the California Academy of Sciences and a boat cruise when we spent a day in San Francisco.

We asked two of our campers to share their experiences and insights from the week at Android Camp.

Andrew Fang, sophomore, UC Berkeley
Kyle Suarez, sophomore, Rutgers University How did the camp help you build/develop your coding skills for Android or in general?

Andrew: In addition to the courses that taught me the basics of Android, I was given the opportunity to practice my Java and XML coding skills to develop a product of my own. It’s one thing to be given an assignment to fill in lines in a Java file to get classes and functions to work in a predetermined matter; it’s another thing to bring a product of your own imagination to life. This desire to create something great really drove me to learn by looking through the internet and by asking the Google engineers. Most of all, this opportunity allowed me to code up something I envisioned in a team setting.

Kyle: Android Camp taught me how to make real Android apps - apps that I would be proud to put on the Play store. Before I played around with Android as a hobby; now I feel like I've got the skills to make something substantial. And it's made me a better programmer in general, learning how to work with other people in a team.

What were you able to learn from the Google engineers and from the classes?

Andrew: I learned a little bit of everything from the Google engineers and from the classes. In the journey towards building our app, I came across several roadblocks and each time, I would ask one of the Googlers who were there helping out. They gave me insight into topics ranging from XML formatting to project structure, to Git. These little tips and tricks not only helped me complete my project but will be useful for my future projects.

What was your experience like meeting and working with other students?

Kyle: Every student I met had some unique skill or an interesting background to bring to the table. I can genuinely say I enjoyed working and meeting all of them. It's amazing being surrounded by other people who share your dreams, passions, and hobbies.

Share with us your favorite moment outside of the lessons and hacking.

Andrew: On the very last day, we went on a beautiful boat cruise around the bay. This sunset cruise was not only beautifully picturesque, but it was a fun adventure with all of my new friends. We talked, we laughed, we danced, and we took pictures, commemorating the end of a fabulous week.

What advice would you give a student that is considering applying to Android Camp?

Andrew: Don’t consider it; DO IT. This experience is extraordinary, and will only come once in your lifetime. You will meet so many great people, learn a plethora of new skills, and get an insider’s look at the Google campus. If you have a passion for technology and want to go into this industry, convey that in your application and hope for the best. Once you get in, celebrate and make the most of your time at Android Camp.

Kyle: Don't expect to be the best or make the latest and greatest app. If you come ready to learn, and learn new things well, you'll succeed not only in Camp but also be better off for the rest of your programming career.

Do you want to be a part of Android Camp 2014? Please keep an eye on our Google Students job site in January for applications to open!

School may be out but the learning has continued at the Googleplex in Mountain View, California! From June 16th - June 22nd, 29 university students participated in the first ever Google Chrome Academy; a jam-packed week of instruction, hacking, career development, networking and social activities for computer science students.

The goal of Chrome Academy is to expose first and second year undergraduate students to new and cutting-edge web app technologies while also giving them a strong foundation in building packaged applications for Chrome. Students attended classes taught by Googlers who are experts in their field, while also working in groups to create fully functioning web applications by the end of the week!

Recently we sat down with a few of the Academics, to hear their thoughts and takeaways from the program.

Tell us about your experience at Chrome Academy.Catherine: Creativity, innovation, and curiosity best describe my experience with Chrome Academy. For me, Chrome Academy served as a time of pure exploration. Whether it was a conversation with a Googler, listening to a lecture, or coding with a fellow Academic, Chrome Academy left me feeling intellectually enriched. My desire to learn more about web development was completely fulfilled.

Ruben: I really enjoyed my time at Chrome Academy because it introduced me to so many other young people with interests similar to my own. I enjoyed being able to talk about "geeky" things and have people that understood the language I was speaking. I had a great time learning about exciting new frameworks that are pushing the capabilities of the web forward, and I enjoyed getting to meet some of the engineers at the forefront of this battle.

What made you decide to apply for Chrome Academy?Ruben: The CS program at my school is very theoretical and mathematical, so we don't get too many opportunities to apply what we learn directly to real life. Thus, I jumped at the opportunity to be able to use some of my skills for real-world applications.

Catherine: What attracted me to Chrome Academy was being mentored by Googlers that create new technologies, being around like-minded students, and being encouraged to think creatively while building cool programs.

What was the highlight of Chrome Academy for you? What was the coolest thing you learned?John: Working with my team, especially in the final day of development, was one of my favorite parts of Chrome Academy. Seeing all of our individual work and research come together and function as desired was inspiring. Knowing that my team was working on one part of the code or presentation while I worked on another, seeing their progress as I worked, helping each other overcome issues, syncing changes with our repository, and watching as our web application gradually became what we had envisioned were all awesome experiences!

Catherine: The highlight of Chrome Academy was the opportunity to regularly converse with Googlers. Listening to their variety stories from how they grew up to how they shaped their goals gave me an entirely new perspective. They exposed me to a myriad of ideas and topics that inspired me to keep pursuing my goals and try new avenues of life.

What are the next steps for you?Catherine: The next steps for me are to explore and utilize the technologies that Chrome Academy has introduced to me and learn how to be an even better web developer/designer. Chrome Academy reminded me of the importance of thinking innovatively and striving to improve the world with technology.

John: Google’s Chrome Academy introduced me to some powerful new web technologies and libraries, many of which I had only heard of but never tried before attending the program, and some of which I didn’t even know about. Now that I know what I don’t know, my goal is to work on learning these new technologies, and to build some interesting projects (and continue current ones) with them.

What advice would you give to people considering applying to Chrome Academy next year?Catherine:
1.) Start your application early.
2.) Get to know Google! Find and talk to a classmate who has been to Google (e.g. interned, worked, or participated in a Google summer program) and ask them about their experience being at Google.
4.) Show enthusiasm and curiosity to learn in your application!
5.) Don’t underestimate yourself! Show off what you coded even if you think it isn't that polished. The simple act of building a program may already reveal your passion for creating/coding, an enthusiasm for technology, and/or a willingness to dare to do unimaginable things! If you share what you have coded, these characteristics about yourself will be illustrated much more clearly.

After applying for Chrome Academy, Catherine went on to apply for a Google Summer Internship, where she was accepted and is currently interning in the Google Mountain View office!

We recently hosted a Hangout On Air with a group of Site Reliability Engineers (SRE) at Google and followed up with a Q&A blog post featuring an SRE intern. SRE is comprised of software and systems engineering teams worldwide who specialize in troubleshooting, tool development and production systems automation. SREs are responsible for ongoing capacity planning to handle Google's rapid traffic growth and global expansion.

Today we’re featuring Gabriela Tavares, a SRE intern in our London office, who will tell you more about herself, Site Reliability Engineers and the work they do at Google.

So Gabriela, tell us about yourself...

I’m from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I completed my bachelors in Computer Engineering at PUC-Rio and my masters in Logic and Artificial Intelligence at Imperial College London last year.

What are you working on at Google?

I’m working alongside the Ads Site Reliability team on optimizing database microsharding in a backend process. The database’s shards are divided into smaller chunks called microshards. The goal of my project is to optimize the partitioning into microshards in order to decrease the 99th percentile processing time. I’m experimenting with two different algorithms: a greedy algorithm, which is non-optimal but has linear computation time, and a dynamic programming algorithm, which always generates the optimal solution but has quadratic computation time.

What’s a typical day in the life of a SRE intern?

I usually start my day by catching up on emails and responding to code reviews. Then, I go for coffee with my team (we have fancy coffee machines in the office!). Some mornings we have team meetings where we share work updates and highlight any challenges. The rest of the day usually involves lots of coding. On Fridays, we have a "beer and demos" meeting where we drink beer, eat pizza and demo our recent work.

How did you find out about the SRE internship program?

I applied for an internship because I wanted to take a year off before starting my PhD and get some work experience in the industry. I initially applied to become a Software Engineering intern, but when I heard about the project in SRE from a Google recruiter, I realised it could be an interesting combination of theory/experimentation and software development.

What is your favorite thing about the internship?

The best part is being surrounded by super smart, interesting people from different backgrounds. The company environment really encourages social interaction so you get to meet a lot of people from different teams. I also like that my team is very sociable, we’re always going out to do fun things together. It’s also nice to have the chance to work with algorithms I never thought I would use after university!

What’s it like working in London?

London is an amazing city and the Google office is very centrally located. It’s very easy to get around everywhere and there's always lots of cool things to do and see.

What skills have you gained since you started?

Google also has its own tools and libraries for almost everything, so I’ve learned how to use them. I’ve also learned to ask questions; getting help from others is highly encouraged here, and always leads to interesting discussions and better solutions. I also think that I’m now writing much better code in terms of readability, simplicity and cleanliness.

Do you have any advice for someone considering to apply for a SRE internship?

Originally, I never considered applying for a SRE internship because my background more algorithmic than system-oriented, but SRE is not just about infrastructure and system administration. There are many interesting problems to tackle which involve designing and coding depending on the project, so be open minded and give it a go!

What are your plans once you finish your internship?

After my internship I’m moving to California to start my PhD in Computation and Neural Systems at Caltech. I’ll be working on modelling how our brain makes decisions and how these models can be applied to Artificial Intelligence. I also hope to return for another internship at Google.